 Create soma instantly with this simple Ayurvedic recipe.
Soma is considered the divine nectar of the gods in the Vedic tradition. It is pure life force energy and brings immortality. The Moon offers direct access to soma and will help your own body create powerful health from its golden, filtered Sun light. As the Moon fills each month, we have access to this nectar more fully. At the time of the new Moon, soma is less available and replenishing your inner reserves is necessary. As Venus (life force, Shakti) is debilitated this month, it's an ideal time to be attending to health, vitality and wellness more carefully. This nourishing drink will support more health, well being and physical resiliency. I call my version the Maha Date Milkshake, the cure for what ails you! This Ayurvedic recipe is the ultimate soma producer. Feeling burned out? Taxed? Energize from the inside out. Here's my recipe for instant nourishment. - 2 Cups whole milk (preferably raw or non homogenized) - Three whole dates, pitted - Small handful of peeled almonds - 1/2 tsp ground turmeric - 2-3 organic rose buds (or 1 tsp sweet rose petal jam) - 3 whole cardamom pods (black seeds only) Bring milk and herbs to a gentle boil and remove from heat. In a blender combine dates and almonds. Add milk + herbs and blend until smooth and frothy. Voila! Enjoy! Join me for a *free* 14 Day Emotional Body Challenge! I'll be sharing resources, tools and extra guidance to navigate these choppy cosmic tides in the coming weeks.Get the Details
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Simple, easily digestible foods allow the stomach to work more efficiently and helps the body eliminate ama (undigested toxins) more effectively. Kitchari is the ideal recipe for letting your stomach hit the re-set button, while still getting a complex protein (legume + grain). Adding some hardy vegetables gives extra nourishment- and voila! The perfect meal for restoring balance.
Here's my simple kitchari recipe using principles of SVA Ayurved (Shaka Vansya Ayurveda). For eliminating inflammation in the body, I suggest removing all night shades, onions and garlic from your diet (or at the least while you are cleansing), using Vaidya Mishra's special Masala, and following standard Ayurvedic protocol regarding no leftovers, etc. (Vaidya Mishra's website is wealth of knowledge for this! I especially love that SVA caters to the extra sensitive mind/body types like myself.) Simple {Detox} Kitchari Recipe: Makes two servings (or one big serving for a human and one small portion for a canine companion). 1/3 Cup OG basmati rice. 1/3 Cup OG masoor daal or mung daal. (Masoor is split red lentils and mung is split small yellow lentils). 1 Tablespoon OG ghee 1 Tablespoon Mum's Masala (plus a dash or two of high grade turmeric powder if you want a more yellow looking kithchari). Mum's Masala is tridoshic and good for almost everyone which is why it's ideal. 1 teaspoon Soma Salt 1 Moringa drumstick (frozen) for extra detoxification. Available at most Indian grocers. 2 Cups spring water with a PH of 7.5 or higher. Bring all ingredients to a boil in a medium/large saucepan and then reduce to low. Cover the pan and let simmer for 30 to 40 minutes or until daal and rice have broken down and cooked. If you need to add a bit of water, this is the time to do it. Just before daal is ready, chop some cauliflower and stir it into your pot. (Cauliflower is good for balancing during seasonal shifts). I like the combination of cauliflower, spinach and peas and a bit of carrot for color. Let the veggies cook for 10 minutes and once tender, serve! Add some chopped cilantro and a squirt of lime for extra flavor and gentle detox. Need some extra guidance and clarity? Schedule a session with me. Plan your week in tune with nature. Never miss a planetary update. Sign up for my weekly newsletter. Was this post helpful? Please share it with a friend! Thank you. As the Moon wanes and becomes small, unnoticeable, and empty, our bodies mirror this cycle. It is a time to hit pause, reset; to let go and cleanse.
Though in the height of summer, Ayurveda doesn't recommend cleansing or detoxing, it is important to gently detoxify monthly, and doing so with the Moon cycles in mind is ideal. At the time of the waning Moon, eating lightly is essential. Making meals that are easy to digest, cooked with digestion in mind, and utilizing basic Ayurvedic principles, are all excellent habits to utilize during the inner waning Moon cycle. We all need to hit reset from time to time, even if it's not during the new Moon. Travel, stressful and hectic life styles and eating restaurant food can all wreak havoc on the digestion, immune system and the needs of the body. I notice that my body reminds me when it needs to alkalize. Maybe I've had too much sugar, or coffee. Or maybe traveling and eating on the run have compromised my system. When it's really imbalanced, I will feel sluggish, dull and not energized. At my worst I may get canker soars or inflamed skin. These are tell tale signs that my body needs some green magic! You may have other inflammatory issues appear when your body is telling you to reset and alkalize. Let it tell you when it needs you to get simple and go back to the basics. My Magic Greens recipe is one that I've adapted from my beloved Vaidya Rama Kant Mishra's Green Protein recipe. He suggests adding homemade panir, for some extra protein. I rarely do that, but if you are needing a bit of protein, go for it! This simple green puree recipe will get you back in balance immediately. I especially like to make this for dinner and I notice by the next morning I feel much better- more alkalized and lighter! My dogs have always loved these Magic Greens and come running when they hear the blender. Try sharing with your furry friend and see what they think. Magic Greens Recipe Put 5 to 6 leaves of washed greens into a large soup pot. Use a variety- from collards, kales, chard and a few hand fulls of baby spinach. Diversity is key. I also like to add some chunks of zucchini (this adds soma and is great for pittas especially in the summer) and some green beans if I have them. It goes without saying, but be sure to use organic produce. Add two cups of spring water (ideally a natural source with a PH above 7.5 and high in mineral content) then bring greens and water to a gentle boil. Flash steam for 1-2 minutes. Then remove from heat immediately. Greens should not be overcooked nor undercooked. They should remain green in color but not be raw. Pour greens and water into a blender. Add 4 to 5 stems of cilantro (blood purifier) or parsley if you have it. Add two tablespoons high grade olive oil, salt (I like Vaidya Mishra's Soma Salt), and your personal Ayurvedic churna (spice mixture), plus a squeeze of lime (the enzymes help the digestion process). If you don't have a personal spice recommendation from your Ayurvedic doctor, use Vaidya Mishra's Mum's Masala available here. The spice mixture really is an essential ingredient as it gently detoxes, promotes vitality and helps the greens digest easily. Puree the mixture until almost smooth. Pour into a bowl and enjoy! *This recipe will make enough for one large bowl and a bit extra for your animal companion or two smaller human sized bowls. Tell me what you think and how you feel after eating this! I hope your results are as magical as mine! Need some extra guidance and clarity? Schedule a session with me. Plan your week in tune with Nature. Never miss my Moon Mind Calendar. Sign up for my newsletter. And if you like this post, please share it! Chipatis can create a sense of bounty at any meal. The perfect flat bread with soup, kitchari, or even larger meals as an added bonus, but equally suited to an afternoon snack with fruit spread and a cup of tea.
Chipatis are worth the (little) effort required to create them. I've gotten mine down to an (almost) GF science. I've had friends ask me to come visit them- hoping I'd make my chipatis for them. They are addictive after all and quite delicious. Chipatis are a mixture of both exact science and an intuitive process that only gets better and more predictable with practice. You will get a "feel" for your perfect chipati after a few tries and then voila! They turn out right every time. Notes: Chipatis are best made fresh at each meal and don't store well (Ayurveda isn't in to leftovers anyway). You can, however, keep your dough on hand for quick and perfect chipatis at every meal. The small portion of whole wheat flour is necessary for nice elasticity in the dough. It's possible to make chipatis entirely GF, however, the texture will be a bit different. Also, if you leave out the yogurt, just add a bit more hot water to the flour for the right consistency. A cast iron skillet is the best tool I've found for perfect chipatis and I prefer a chipati rolling pin. I keep a canister of 1/2 white rice flour and 1/2 tapioca flour on hand at all times. This is my go to flour mixture for baking, chipatis, etc. Tapioca is used extensively in Shaka Vansya Ayurveda because it is considered a "binder"; it binds to toxins in the gut and helps eliminate them. It also creates a lovely dough for chipatis. 1 Cup rice/tapioca flour mix 1/4 Cup whole wheat or whole wheat pastry flour Toss the flours together in a bowl. Fill your kettle and turn it on so the water is hot in the final step. (I use a glass Pyrex bowl that has a sealing lid so that I can easily cover and refrigerate the remaining dough for later meals). Put your cast iron skillet on the stove and turn the burner to medium/high. 2 Tablespoons ghee 1-2 Tablespoons yogurt 1 teaspoon salt 2-3 Tablespoons boiling water Use a fork to toss ghee, yogurt and salt into the flour mix. Then use your hands to work the dry and wet ingredients together making doughy crumbles. Add the boiling water to the mix. Start slow and dribble it over the flour. Use your fork to toss all the ingredients together. Add a bit more water if necessary. You want a doughy consistency that is neither too wet, nor too dry. Using your hands to do the final mixing is necessary and will help you "feel" your perfect dough. Clean off a flat rolling surface and sprinkle some whole wheat flour on it. Use a chipati rolling pin (sold at Indian grocery stores) or a pastry rolling pin will do. Tear off a 2" ball of dough and flatten it on the counter making sure there is ample flour underneath. Roll and flatten, then flip and roll again. You want a thin, round shape. Too thin, and your chipati will be unmanageable. Too thick and it won't crisp up correctly. (Go for a tortilla thickness if you've not eaten chipatis before). If your skillet is nice and hot, your chipatis will brown up easily within a minute or so on each side. Look for bubbles and golden brown spots as clues. If your chipatis are burning, your heat is too high or you're leaving them on the griddle too long. For extra decadent chipatis, grease your skillet with a bit of ghee. Stack your chipatis on a plate for serving, cover with a towel to keep them warm. A word of caution: you and your guests will be asking for more! *Depending on the size of your chipatis, this recipe will make roughly six flat breads. |